Pitkin Lake is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. It fills a large cirque just above treeline at the head of a broad, glaciated valley.

Visitors will enjoy varied scenery along several staged climbs into the upper valley, where the landscape opens to rolling alpine meadows, streams, ponds, and wildflowers on the approach to Pitkin Lake:

The trail crosses Pitkin Creek and begins a strenuous climb on a narrow, aspen-lined path. Grades moderate past .3 miles (8,955') on a grassy slope between thick aspen stands and the creek.

The trail moves steadily up a widening valley, introducing lodgepole, spruce and fir as you progress (1.0 miles : 9,302'). It joins the creek for a moment (1.5 miles : 9,516') before climbing steeply to a crest overlooking a wide berth in the valley, a particularly good place to look for wildlife (1.85 miles : 9,765').

The trail drops down the meadow's west edge, bottoms out (2.0 miles : 9,715'), and climbs ruggedly out of the depression with terrific views back down valley, and northeast toward Pitkin Falls (2.5 miles : 10,087).

Travel intensifies to the base of a rockslide (2.7 miles : 10,272'), then makes another short, steep burst to a second crest over a large meadow where a major tributary joins Pitkin Creek (2.95 miles : 10,420').

Cross the meadow and begin a strenuous climb up the far side through a dense spruce-fir forest. Be mindful of false spurs along this shifting segment. The trail moderates on the edge of a thinning forest (3.35 miles : 10,765'), relaxing for a spell through small clearings and spruce stands.

Another short, steep push to 3.8 miles (10,975') moderates in a transitional forest beneath towering, sculpted walls of the upper valley. The trail bends northwest through an expanding alpine landscape and shoots up the valley's west side through the vestiges of treeline (4.0 miles : 11,072').

It scales a ridge and edges back to the valley center (4.25 miles : 11,277'), where it levels beside Pitkin Creek to the south edge of Pitkin Lake (4.45 miles : 11,362').

The Pitkin Lake basin is immense and, to see it all, you'll have to climb a bit up its southeast or southwest shore. From these points you'll also have great views back down valley that reveal hidden meadows, ponds and streams.